Swim Team: Small Waves, Big Changes, written and illustrated by Johnnie Christmas. Harper, 2022. $15.99 ages 10 and up

 

"But ... Black people 
aren't good at swimming. 

I'm good at swimming, 
AND I'm Black. 
So that can't be TRUE. 
Matter of fact, Black people
swim, fish, canoe, surf, and 
everything else you can think of. 
You come from a long line of 
swimmers, all Black people do. 

Me? 

Yes. 

Really? 

Really." 

When Bree and her father relocate to Florida and she must attend a new school, she looks forward to enrolling in a Math Puzzles class. She is too late; that class is full. The only option available to her is Swim 101. That brings up another concern. Bree can't swim. In her mind, she is convinced that it is because she is Black. 

Bree manages to skip most swim classes. A harrowing experience in the pool at their apartment complex causes concern. Bree's neighbor, Ms. Etta, agrees to teach her to swim. Bree proves to be an apt student. It is then that she is asked to try out for the school's swim team. To say she is surprised is an understatement; making the team is quite another thing. It is a team much honored at their school, and one that faces tough competitors. Bree is welcomed as a team member and shows that she can her own in competitions. When bickering becomes a real problem, Bree wants to find a way to mend broken fences. Patience and time work in their favor. 

The author does an excellent job of showing that the effects of segregation remain part of present-day life. Bree is sure that Black people aren't good swimmers, and that is why they were not welcome at pools or on the beach. Ms. Etta is quick to explain the misunderstanding that raises Bree's anxiety about the sport she comes to love. 

Visuals are attractive and telling; the lesson learned about past history is important and eye-opening; and the characters are appealing and well-developed. When everyone on the girls choose to work together without emphasizing their differences, they prove to be a real team. This is a book that is sure to attract attention from a middle years audience: friendship, sports, competition, family, and community are at the heart of everything that happens for Bree.